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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 S. S. WHEELER.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Patented Jan. 26, 1886.

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m m w h m WITNESSES (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. S. WHEELER. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

No 335,099. Patented Jan. 26, 1886;

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C; I O U WITNESSES 1 INVENTOR %2 B kw SC7LZIZ67UZ made/- y fltv'orneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

sci-iUYL-nR s. WHEELER, onxnvv YORK, N. Y.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,099, dated January 26, 1886, Application filed September 24, 1888. Serial No. 107,245. ,(Xo model.)

To all wlmm'it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SCHUYLER S. WHEELER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented, a new and useful Improvement in Systems of Electrical Distribution, of which the following is a specification.

My invention concerns asystem of electrical distribution for the supply of light, power, heat, or other sensible effect by electricity, which is fed by dynamo-electric machines or other sources of electrical energy in multiple are, and which sometimes requirestwo or more of such machines or sources, and some times a greater or' less number to supply the variable wants of the consumers.

It relates to the operation of connecting and disconnecting dynamo-machines in multiple arc to and from the system in order to increase and diminish the supply of electrical energy according to the demand. In the practical working of such a system, when the dynamomachines are large and of low internal resistance, and especially when each machine is driven by an independent steam-engine. it has been found very dilficult to connect or disconnect machines to or from the systenfii'rnnltiple arc with the others without suddenly throwing a heavy load upon some of the m'a-.

chines and causing a sudden increaseor'decrease in the electrical pressure throughout the system, and consequently in the brilliancy of the electric lamps supplied thereby.

Consider the case of connecting on a dynamo-machine, for example: \llien the machine is started on an open circuit, and its electromotiveforceregulated before it is connected to the system in multiple arc with the other machines, the effects produced upon the machines and upon the system by so connecting it depend upon the electro-motive of the new machine at the instant of making the connec tion. If its electro-niotive force is too low, the outgoing or direct electrical prcssu re from the machine is not sufiicientto neutralize the opposingor back electrical pressure fI'OUl'lZh Q system, and the effect is, therefore, to allow the main current from the system to flow back through the new machine, which suddenly increases the load upon the other machines, since they have to supply this extra back ourrent, and also produces a momentary drop in the electrical pressure throughout the system hear if connected so as to on account of the reduction in the speed of the other-machines which this extra load occasions. If the electro motive force of the new machineis too high, the efl'ect is suddenly to throw a very heavy load upon the new mitchine and to reduce the load upon the other reduce correspondingly the load upon each of the other machines. This causes a sudden rise-in the electrical pressure in the system until the steam-governors have had time to act and equalize the speed of the several machines. The same effects are produced when a machine is taken off or disconnected.

In order, therefore, to connect and disconnect machines without suddenly throwing heavy loads upon the machines, and without disturbing the electrical pressure in the system, the following method has heretofore been employed: The new machine is get working on an independent closed circuit with an artilicial load equal to the load it would have to I feed into the system itself." The best meansof accomplishing this has been found to be to connect the new machine to a battery of electric lamps equal innumber to that portion of all the lamps of the system itwill be required to supply when .connected, (which is generally about the maximum number of lamps of one machine) and its electro-mot-ive force is then regulated to be equal to that of the other machines, so that the new machine is get working under about,

the same conditions of load as it it were supplying current to the system in multiple arc with the other machines. This independent system of lamps 'fed by the new machine is then joined. to the main system in multiple arc, and if the auxiliary battery of lamps has been properly adjusted and the electro-motive force of the machine carefully regulated no very great shock or disturbance results from so doing, since when the two systems of lamps [them than when they are separated.

are combined no more or less power or eel--- rent is required from either machine to feed This extra battery of lamps is then gradually taken vott' from thesystem by disconnecting it in sections leaving the new machine connected on and doing its share of the work necessary to supply -whatever may then be the wants of the consumers. In taking off or disconnecting a machine the reverse operation is gone through with; but even with this mode of putting on and taking off machines, it is very difficult to avoid producing some disturbancein the electrical pressure, besides which the method is very objectionable for other reasons. It requires a large battery of lamps or other exother machines.

pensive resistances equal to the full capacity of the machine to be connected. It calls for extra steam-power sufiicient to feed this battry of lamps, besides that furnished to the It'involves the troublesome operation of adjusting the number of lamps of the battery in circuit to agree with the load on the system, and it requires considerable time and care to makethe necessary connections, changes, &c. I j

By my invention I am enabled to connect and disconnect machines to and from others in multiple are without employing any an iliary battery of lamps or other resistance without producing the slightest electrical disturbance in the system, and without suddenly increasing or decreasing the load upon any of the machines.

' To this end my invention consists in the method and apparatus for carrying out the method hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

as shown, for supplying the same system.

The-.commutator-brushes of each machine are made adjustable by being mounted upon a rocking holder, 0, by which they may be turned concentrically with the commutator and set in any desired position with respect to the field, and the electro-motive force of, the machine'thereby altered in the well-known manner. To the holder 0, I -fix a pointer, c, which moves over the stationary graduated are a, "and thus indicates the relative position ofthe commutatonbrushcs, and hence the elec: tro-niotive force of the machine. tion with each machine I sometimes employ a galvanometer, D, arranged to indicate whether any current is flowing through its circuit, and also a circuit-breaking switch, E, to connect and discondect the machine from the system. Suppose the two machines to be both feeding into the system, and it is desired to take otf or disconnect the machine B, for example, the machineA having suiiicient capacity to supply the lamps than in operation.

In connoo posing electrical pressurefrom the'system, or,

in other words, until no current is flowingin either direction through the circuit of the ma chine B, which state of afl'airs is at once shown by the galvanometer D pointing to '0. Under these conditions the machine B will be doing.

no work and generating no current, nor will it be absorbing current from the other machines, and therefore the effect is the same as if this machine were running on an open circuit. Ithen break the circuit, and thus disconnect the machine' by means of the switch E, andno disturbance or eflect is produced on eitherthe system or any of the machines, because the new machine is then neither supplying nor taking any electrical energy to or from the. system. ,By this method the machines may be readily disconnected. In order to connect on machines I graduate the-arc a so that the pointer c stands-at 0 when the commutator-brushes are in the position which makes the electromotive force of the machines equal to the incomingelectrical pressure from the system, so that by setting the brushes at .0, I am enabled to start the machine on an open circuit and bring its electro-motive force exactly to the point at which it may bejointed with the other machines without disturbance. I then connect the machine to t-he'system by the switch E, and by gradually shifting thc'commutator-bruslies I again raise the elcctro-mo-' tive force until it equals thatof theother machine, thercby gradually throwing the load upon the new. machine until it is made to'perform its share of the work. 7

Fig. 2 represents another form of contrivance for carrying out my invention. A and Bare separate dynamo machines, and D D and E E, respectively, their galvanometeis and circuit-breaking switches, as in Fig. 1. Each machine is provided with the usual regulating apparatus, consisting of a resistanceswitch, F, for regulating the electro-motive' force of the machine in the well-known manner, by throwing in or out of the field circnit more or less resistance, and th us alter-i mg the magneticintensity of the field. Iprovide each machine also with another regulating-switch,G,for regulating its electro-motive force independently of the usual regulating apparatus, and by means of this auxiliary regulator G, Iadjust the electro-motive force of the machine to be connected or disconnected, as the 'case may be, so that it will exactly neutralize the incoming or back electrical pressure from the system, and therenpon'I; connect or disconnect the machine to the system by the. switch E, as before, without causing the slightest dis:

turbanceeithcr in the system or in the ma- .the machine.

the load, as before. To cnablethe switches G to be set at the proper pointin connecting a machine, the switches are graduated in any desired manner, as shown, for example, so that the zero-point corresponds to theposition of neutralizing electro-motive force. It is evident, however, that the usual regulating apparatus, F F, may he employed-to effect the desired regulation in connecting or disconnecting a machine instead of the auxiliary switches G.

Fig. 3 representsanother mode of applying my invention. The two figures, marked Dynamo, represent two independent steam dynamo-machines feeding into the same circuit. Each machine in this case is run by its own steam-engine. My improvement here consists in so constructing the speed-governing mechanism that the speed at which the engine is held by the governor may be varied in order to change the electro-moiive force of For this purpose I connect the" valve=gear link K, which imparts motion to the valvesin the usual manner, with the speedgovernor M by a bar, L, an adjustable connecting-link, 'N,and another bar, P, so that the position of the link K with respecttotheheight of the goternor-balls may be altered by turning the serew-nut 0, and thereby varying the speed at which the governor causes the valvegear to cut off at the same pointras before.

The two bars L-and P are both pivoted on the stationary pin It, the bar L terminating in a graduated sector, Q. and t-hebarPin a pointer, as shown, so that the speed for which the governor is adjusted by the nut. O is indicated by the position of said pointer on the scale Q. In'ordcr to connect the dynamo tothe system, I start the machine andadjust the governor by the nut 0, so that the speed of the machine is such as to make its electro'motive force just enough to neutralize the back electrical pressurct'rom the system as before, asshown by the pointer on the scale Q, and then close thecircuit by the switch E, as before. I then increase the speed of the machine until its eleetro-moti-ve force becomes equal to that of-the other machines, thus gradually throwing part of the load upon the new machine and taking it on" from the others without producing the slightest disturbance in the system. Intaking oil" 01-.disconnecting a machine exactly the reverse operation is gone through with. It is evident that the regulation of the speed-governing apparatus to alter the speed of the machine so as to obtain the proper clectro-motive may be effected in various other ways than that shown.

Instcad'of regulating the electromotive of the machine by adjusting the governor M, as ex.- plained, the speed may be regulated by closing and opening the throttlevalve T.

Galvanometers D may be used to indicate when no current is flowing through the circuit of the machine, as in Figs. 1 and 2; but by shunting the.eircuit-bi eaking switches E by galvanometersl of high resistance, as shown,

the electronotive force of the machine to be the shunting-galvanometer I. This enables the elect'ro-inotivc of a machine to be accurately regulated, so as to neutralize the opposing pressure from the system before the machine is connected to the system, and while its circuit is practically open.

As I have described my. method thus far,- the new machine is brought to a condition in which it may be connected, or disconnected from the system without disturbance by regulating its clectrounoti ve force, so as to neutralize the eleetl'o-motive force from the other machines, which is kept constant; but my invention may be worked in another way. The electro-motive force of the new machine maybe kept c'onstant,wllile that ofthe other machines is altered sufiieiently to neutralize the electromotive force of the new inachinein its own circuit, and then the new machine may be connected or disconnected without disturbance. In disconnecting a machine .a this way, for example, I raise the electro-motive force of the other machines until no current flows through the circuit of the said machine, and

I then break its circuit. This of course tends a new machine in this way, I regulate its electro-motive force to the neutralizing-point and then connect it. to the'system. I then reduce the electro motive force of the other machines to the proper point, and thereby throw its share of the load upon the new machine.

It is not necessary to my invention that-the dynamo-machincs or other generators of electrical energy should all be located at the same central station or pointof supply. They may be arranged at as many different places on the system as desired, and connected'to any desired points thereof by means of myinvcntion, without interfering with the other machines already feeding the samesystem and without causing disturbance in the electrical pressure in the said system.

My invention may be employed to couple and uncouple machines in series as well as those in multiplcarc.

When it is desired to increase the electromotive force of the machines in operation by adding another machine in series, and it is important that this increase should be effected gradually, I adjust the-electro-motive force of the new machine before connecting'it, so that its additional electro-motive force, when connected, is just enough to make up for the additional resistance in circuit due to the internal resistance of the new machine. I then connect it to the others without producing any material eflecnand then gradually raiseitsj electro-rirotive force to the desired point. I discon'net the machine by the reverse operation.

It is evident that my invention is applicable to other sources of electrical energy besides dynamo or magneto electric machines, it being immaterial in what manner the electrical i 5 energy is generated, and that the eleetro-motive force of the machines or sources of enrrent may be regulated in any desired way for the pnrposcsof my invention.

My method of coupling and uncoupling machines may be combined, if desirable,with the method hitherto used, (inwhich a battery of lamps are employed, as I have alreadyexplained,) so as to permit a much smaller bat- .tery-of'lamps to be used than would otherwise he the case, and also to avoid the necessary adjustment of these lamps to agree with the load on the system; With this planthe new machine would first hemade to feed this independent battery of lamps and its electromotive regulated, so that when connection is made to the system practice-ll y no current will flow either from the other machines back through the new machine or from the new machine into the system and back through the 5 other machines. The electro-motive force of the new machine would then be raised and the battery of lamps then disconnected from the system. In disconnecting a machine the operation would be reversed.

. I I do not claim herein the apparatus and constructions described, since I am required by the Patent Office to make such claims in a separate application and to confine this application to the method of operation alone.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. The herein-described method of connecting 'or disconnecting an electrical generator with or from one or more others supplying the same circuit, which consists in producing such a relation between the electro-,motive force of said generator and the electro-motive force of the others that practically no current will flow in either direct-ionthrough said generator, and'then connecting or disconnecting said generator.

2. The herein-described method of connect ingan electrical generator with the other generators of a multiple-arc systeimwhich-con: sists in regulating its electro-motive force to .such apoint thatpractically no currentwill flow through it ineitherfdireetion when connected, then conneetingit with the circuit in multiple are with the others, and then gradually rais-. ing its eleetro-motive force until it becomes equal to that oithe others.

3. The herein-described method of discoiinecting one electrical generator from the others of a multiple-arc syste'm,which consistsin reducing the 'ele'etro-motive force of said generator before breaking its circuit.

4. The herein-described method of discon necting one electrical generator from the others of a multiple-arc system,.which consists in reducing the clectro-motive force of said generator until. practically no current flows through'it-in either direction before breaking its circuit.

5. The herein-described method of connecting an electrical generator with one or more others supplying the same circuit, which consists in producing such a relation between the t-ion, then connecting the new generator with the others, and. then equalizing the el eetromotive forces of the generators so that the new one will assume its share of the load.

6. The herein-described method of connect ing or disconnecting a dynamo-electric machine with or'irom one or more "others supplying the same circuit, which consists in regulating the strength of the field-magnet of 5 said generator until its electro-motive'force neutralizes that of the others, and then connecting or disconnecting it. A Signed and witnessed this 22d day of September, 1883. SCHUYLER S. WHEELER.

Witnessesa JOSEPH M. WILLIAMS, CHARLES G. Courts. 

